Black and Blue
by Hades'FavoriteDaughter10
Summary: Nico di Angelo wasn t popular at his school. Actually, he was just the opposite. Picked on at school and abused by his step-father at home. But when he s paired up with the new girl for a project, and things at home get worse, will he be able to make it through with the help of his two friends? All human, no gods. R&R!


Walking down the street with music in your ears and feeling like you`re in a music video. Well, not exactly. For Nico di Angelo, it was a reminder that he had no friends, no life, not even a decent family. Sure, he had his uncle. And that would've been great if he wasn't 84 years old, was suffering from lung cancer, and lived nowhere near Nico.

Nico`s mother, father and sister were dead and he had never heard of any cousins or relatives he could go to instead of his retched step-father. Just thinking about him made Nico`s arm throb in pain and he remembered what had happened less than an hour ago in his so-called home.

_Flashback ~ _

_Nico took a deep breath and started toward the dark brown house that was his home. It looked like any other house on the block. Dark, yet undecidedly homely._

Come on, di Angelo. Man up, _he thought to himself._

_He sighed deeply, reached out and inserted the small key into the door. Once it was unlocked, he swung it open and stepped into the main hall. Almost immediately Nico was overwhelmed by the staggering smell of alcohol and smoke. He swallowed nervously. His step-father would surely punish him for being this late after school. Nico shivered at the thought. _

_Nico walked silently to the kitchen, and nearly threw up at the sight before him. It was his step-father, Ralph, passed out in a chair with four beer bottles littered around him. Lying by his hand was a used cigarette._

_Nico set down his backpack and started toward the stairs, a small flicker of relief sprouting inside him. But that was quickly diminished when Ralph stirred, making Nico`s heart beat so fast and loud that Nico was sure that it was the thing that had awoken his step-father._

"_Hey," Ralph`s voice was raspy and slurred. "Hey, kid. You finally home?" he smirked tiredly at Nico while he got up, stumbling his way over to him. Nico was still turned away from his step-father._

"_Hey!" Ralph barked, "Look at me when I'm talking to you!" he seized a tuft of Nico`s hair and spun him around roughly. Nico gasped as he felt Ralph`s fist connect with his stomach and he doubled over in pain, groaning. _

"_Well? That enough for you?" Nico could hear the cruelness in his voice. He knew Ralph could do much worse yet he kept his mouth shut, wanting to remain defiant. _

_When Nico didn't answer, Ralph grabbed the collar of his shirt and hauled him up so that they were face to face. Then he promptly punched Nico twice, in his eye and his jaw. His step-father pushed him away, and Nico was so blinded by the pain that he collapsed the moment his legs tried to take his weight._

_Ralph huffed in disgust. "Pathetic," he muttered. He then started to kick Nico in the ribs… Once… Twice… Nico stopped yelling just long enough to shout to his step-father._

"_Stop! I- I`m sorry!" he hated himself for giving in but he just couldn't take it, "I- I`m sorry for being late! It won`t happen again," he croaked out. His throat was dry from the screaming. _

_Nico looked up from the ground just in time to see Ralph`s ugly shoe stomp down on his arm. Nico yelped, which unfortunately led to more screaming._

"_No! Please, no!" he begged, knowing it was useless. _

"_You've gotta do better than that!" Ralph laughed as if he was watching a comedy and watching his step-son suffer from his own doing. _

"Please!_" Nico yelled so loud that he felt like he would never speak again._

_His step-father finally released his arm and Nico cradled it to his chest. He looked up, expecting more, but Ralph seemed to have finished. _

_As he stalked away, Nico heard him growl under his breath, "Worthless."_

_Flashback end ~_

After all that, Nico had gathered up a backpack full of necessities and headed off to wander the streets.

It was dark now. The streetlights cast an ominous glow over the sidewalk. It was near midnight, no one was out, although a few cars darted through the cold spring night.

Nico had his injured arm pressed, unmoving, to his side. He walked slowly and carefully with a slight limp. Even though he had left the house, he still felt trapped as if his step-father would leap out of a dark alley and-…

No. Nico couldn't afford to think like that. His step-father probably didn't even care that he had gone. He was most likely waiting for Nico to come home so he could beat him up again.

Nico set his jaw and narrowed his eyes. He wouldn't let Ralph do that to him.

So, Nico had two options. One, he goes to the police and suffers Ralph`s wrath. Or two, he goes to his (only) friend`s house and stay for a couple days. Nico chose the latter.

Of course Nico didn't know why he even thought about his choices. He had to choose one or the other every time he left his home after a beating. And he _always_ chose his friend over the police.

So it was settled. Nico quickened his pace, a hop in his step because of his limp. He set off in direction of the house he goes to when he needs help.

The house of the only people who knew about his step-father.

The house of the people he can trust to not call the police.

The house of Percy Jackson.


End file.
